Downtown Seattle Walking Tour

Seattle is filled with cool attractions and awesome activities for kids. On a recent trip, my family found a way to balance seeing the attractions and mixing in plenty of kid fun. While we wish we had more time, we were able to see a nice amount in just one day. Here is how my family took our own Downtown Seattle walking tour.

We started where we were staying at Hilton Seattle. Located just blocks from Pike Place Market, shopping, restaurants and the light rail, this location has everything within close reach. After a fabulous breakfast overlooking the city, we walked a few blocks down the hill to reach our first destination, Pike Place Market.

Pike Place Market

Stop at the Information Kiosk in front to get a map of the market. From here, walk straight into the market and see the flying fish from Pike Place Fish, produce stalls, craft vendors, and fresh flowers. After browsing, head down the stairs to continue on towards the bay to reach the Seattle Aquarium.

Seattle Aquarium

Spend the rest of the morning at Seattle Waterfront’s Pier 59. The aquarium is not as large as most, but it is filled with hands-on activities and information about the sea life found near Seattle. My kid’s favorite attraction at the aquarium was the inverted underwater dome.

The Seattle Great Wheel Ferris wheel is also located here. Plan to spend about an hour or two here before heading back up the hill to see more sights.

Make a stop at the Seattle Aquarium on your Seattle Walking Tour for hands-on fun and learning for kids.

Lunch at Pike Place Market

Climb back up towards Pike Place Market and grab some lunch. With a recommendation from fellow Hilton Mom Voyage writer Mary, we chose Beecher’s Handmade Cheese at 1600 Pike Place. See cheese being made while sampling the most delicious grilled cheese and macaroni and cheese.

After lunch, walk a few doors down to get some caffeine at the very first Starbucks that opened in 1971 at Pike Place Market. The line will be long, but it goes quickly. At least stop for a photo!

Monorail to Seattle Center

After lunch, walk straight up Pine Street to Westlake Center to ride the Seattle Center Monorail. Built for the Seattle World’s Fair in 1962, the monorail takes travelers above the city directly to Seattle Center, home of the Space Needle, Pacific Science Center, Chihuly Garden and Glass, and the EMP Museum. Monorail tickets are just $2.25 for adults and $1.00 for kids.

Hop on the Seattle Center Monorail to visit the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, and the EMP Museum.

At the Seattle Center, don’t miss the new playground. The Artists at Play playground includes musical instruments and listening stations, and a 35-foot net climbing tower with tube slides. Seattle Center was the end of our tour. After touring the Space Needle, we took the monorail back to Hilton Seattle to get our luggage. From the hotel, we walked to the light rail and had a beautiful and easy ride aboard the train to the airport.

Tips for Doing this Seattle Walking Tour

There are several of hills and stairs on this walking tour. I recommend bringing a small stroller for children. There are plenty of shopping and restaurant options all along this route. I even snuck in some time at the Nordstrom flagship store before we got on the monorail. And, don’t forget — it is Seattle — so throw in a couple of umbrellas just in case the weather turns.